Belgian  Congo 

y 

AMERICAN  BAPTIST 
FOREIGN  MISSION  SOCIETY 
BOSTON,  MASS. 


ACKNOWLEDGMENT 
HE  photographs  from  which  the  illustra 


tions  in  this  sketch  were  made  were  sup¬ 
plied  by  Judson  C-  King,  M.D.,  of  Banza 
Manteke  and  Catharine  L.  Mabie,  M.D.,  of 
Kimpese.  The  material  in  the  sketch  is 
based  on  the  former  pamphlet  on  Belgian 
Congo  in  the  Historical  Series  and  recent  in¬ 
formation  received  from  the  missionaries. 


HISTORICAL  AND  PICTORIAL 
SERIES 


BELGIAN  CONGO 


I.  A  Peep  Through  the  Lens — 

showing  at  a  glance  the  people  and 
country. 

II.  Time  Exposure— 

being  a  more  minute  consideration 
of  the  land  and  people. 

III.  Developing — 

giving  a  resume  of  the  beginnings  of 
missions  in  Africa. 

IV.  Finishing  Touches — 

showing  the  present  missionary  work. 


PART  I  A  PEEP  THROUGH  THE  LENS 


An  Avenue  of  Trees  in  the  Congo 


[*1  Africa  is  the  second  largest  continent  in  the  world. 
It  is  estimated  that  the  distance  around  its  coast  is  as 
great  as  around  the  world. 


Its  natural  wealth  equals  that  of  any  other  two  con¬ 
tinents.  One-third  of  the  world' s  gold  and  ninety  per 
cent  of  all  the  diamonds  come  from  there. 


* 


Central  Africa  is  an  extraordinarily  wealthy  zone 
and  has  been  in  the  eye  of  all  the  European  powers . 
It  is  still  undeveloped ,  however ,  because  of  its  climate. 


2 


A  PEEP  THROUGH  THE  LENS  PART  I 


In  the  Cataract  Region  of  the  Congo 


[j<1  Equatorial ,  or  central Ajrica  has  been  called  “ white 
man  s  grave." 


is  the  largest  river  in  Ajrica  and  the  second  largest  in 
the  world ,  exceeded  in  drainage  area  only  by  the  Amazon. 

[%]  Northern  Baptist  mission  work  is  carried  on  in 
Belgian  Congo  which  lies  wholly  in  the  basin  of  the 
Congo  River. 

In  all  of  Ajrica  there  is  only  one  missionary  to 
every  ijj,ooo  souls. 


•Im  The  Congo  River,  near  the  center  oj  the  continent. 


3 


PART  I 


A  PEEP  THROUGH  THE  LENS 


Suspension  Bridge  of  Twisted  Vines 

I.  A  Peep  Through  the  Lens 

Almost  in  the  center  of  the  vast,  ancient  and  mysterious 
continent  of  Africa  is  a  fertile,  elevated  plateau,  drained 
by  the  great  Congo  river  and  lying  directly  across  the 
equator.  This  region  is  known  as  Belgian  Congo  and 
has  an  area  of  900,000  square  miles.  It  is  eighty  times  as 
large  as  the  little  country  that  rules  it  and  extends  from 
Egyptian  Sudan  and  French  Congo  on  the  north  to  the 
Zambesi  watershed  on  the  south ;  and  from  German  East 
Africa  and  Uganda  on  the  east  to  the  Atlantic  Ocean  on 
the  west.  Although  the  country  on  the  whole  is  broad, 
near  the  western  border  it  narrows  down  to  a  slender  strip 
which  follows  the  river  to  the  ocean  so  that  the  coast  line 
is  only  twenty-five  miles  long. 

The  immense  interior  of  the  state  is  often  likened  to 
an  inverted  saucer,  the  greater  portion  of  the  Congo  val- 


4 


PART  I 


\ 


A  PEEP  THROUGH  THE  LENS 


ley  being  an  elevated  plateau  more  than  1000  feet  above 
sea  level.  It  is  an  alluvial  plain  without  marked  moun¬ 
tain  features,  but  covered  with  dense  forests  where  pas¬ 
sage  must  oftentimes  be  forced  through  thick  underwood, 
creeping  plants  and  giant  trees.  Into  some  parts  of  these 
forest  tracts  the  sun 
never  penetrates.  The 
belt  adjacent  to  the 
coast  is  covered  with 
rank,  yellow  grass  and 
stocked  with  wild  ani¬ 
mals  of  every  sort. 

Our  missionaries  tell 
of  encounters  with 
elephants,  rhinoceri 
and  wild  buffaloes  and 
of  protecting  native 
villages  from  man- 
eating  crocodiles  and 
other  dangerous 
beasts. 

The  Congo  river, 
which  cuts  Congo 
Beige  in  twain,  is  the 
second  largest  river  in 
the  world  and  easily 
the  most  important 
waterway  of  Africa. 

In  its  valley  are  rich 
resources  and  along 


A  Woman  of  the  Congo 


its  course  the  prod¬ 
ucts  of  the  land  are  shipped  abroad.  Most  of  the  stations 
of  the  American  Baptist  Foreign  Mission  Society  are 
located  on  the  southern  bank  of  the  river  from  the  coast 
to  Lake  Ntomba,  800  miles  inland. 

The  mouth  of  the  river  was  discovered  in  the  fifteenth 


S 


PART  I 


A  PEEP  THROUGH  THE  LENS 


Native  Wood-carrier  missionaries  entered 

the  country.  The 
bulk  of  the  inhabitants  are  of  one  stock,  the  great  Bantu 
race,  although  there  are  traces  of  Chinese  and  Arabian 
influences  in  the  northern  districts  where  immigrant  trad¬ 
ers  have  settled.  The  people  are  divided  into  innumer¬ 
able  tribes  and  clans,  speaking  160  dialects,  all  of  which, 


century  by  Diego  Cam,  the  Portuguese  navigator,  but  its 
extent  and  course  remained  a  mystery  until  1877  when 
Henry  M.  Stanley,  an  American  journalist,  followed  its 
course  from  Lake  Tanganyika  to  the  ocean,  more  than 

1600  miles.  To  David 
Livingstone,  famed  as 
the  missionary  ex¬ 
plorer,  belongs  the 
honor  of  having  dis¬ 
covered  its  source  and 
inspired  Stanley  to 
continue  the  explora¬ 
tion  he  had  begun. 
The  solving  of  the 
mystery  of  the  river 
was  the  beginning  of 
modern  Congo  his¬ 
tory,  political  and  re¬ 
ligious. 

The  Congo  people 
are  a  people  without  a 
history.  Countless  mil¬ 
lions  of  them  have 
lived  and  died  and 
left  practically  no 
trace  of  their  activi¬ 
ties,  for  the  African 
language  never  took 
written  form  until 


6 


A  PEEP  THROUGH  THE  LENS 


PART  I 


however,  bear  unmistakable  evidence  of  a  common  origin 
so  that  intercommunication  is  easy.  The  population  of 
the  colony  is  variously  estimated  from  14,000,000  to 
30,000,000. 

Belgian  Congo  is  the  former  Congo  Free  State  of 
notorious  fame,  which  was  established  in  central  Africa 
soon  after  Stanley's 
exploration  of  the 
river,  by  Leopold  II 
of  Belgium.  Under 
him  the  region  was 
further  explored 
and  opened  to  trade 
and  he  was  formally 
recognized  as  sover¬ 
eign  by  the  powers 
of  Europe  in  1884. 

When  the  land  was 
discovered  to  pos¬ 
sess  enormous 
wealth  in  rubber, 
with  an  entire  disre¬ 
gard  of  the  rights  of 
the  natives,  it  was 
granted  to  conces¬ 
sionary  companies 
who  compelled  the 
natives  to  deliver 
stated  quantities  of 
rubber  at  regular  in-  Boys  Maimed  by  Congo  Soldiers 

tervals  or  suffer  mu¬ 
tilation  and  torture.  Such  an  outcry  was  raised  against 
this  cruelty  by  missionaries  and  travellers  that  the  Belgian 
Parliament  annexed  the  state  in  1908  as  a  colony.  Under 
King  Albert’s  rule  the  country  is  being  justly  developed 
and  the  people  are  receiving  humane  treatment. 


7 


PART  II 


TIME  EXPOSURE 


Hunting  in  the  Congo 


[]&]  Central  Africa  is  the  only  part  of  the  continent  left 
chieflly  in  the  hands  of  the  natives.  Other  sections 
have  been  commercialized  and  populated  by  large  num¬ 
bers  of  foreigners. 

[j*]  Missionaries  and  government  officials  are  practically 
the  only  white  people  who  attevnpt  to  remain  permanently 
in  the  Congo  basin. 


,g<l  The  Congo  river  is  jooo  miles  long  and  with  igo 
tributaries  supplies  6000  miles  of  navigable  waterway. 


It  discharges  at  its  mouth  a  volume  of  water  equal 


to  one  million  tons  a  second. 


8 


TIME  EXPOSURE 


PART  II 


A  Native  Village 


>&]  The  people  of  the  Congo  are  of  the  Bantu  tribe ,  a 


race  that  extends  from  6  degrees  north  of  the  equator  to 
the  Zulu  country. 


*  There  are  ?io  extensive  industries  in  the  district; 


the  natives  are  content  to  cultivate  small  plots  of  land 
and  export  meagre  supplies.  Seventy-five  per  cent  of 
their  produce  of  rubber  and  ivory  goes  to  Belgium. 


fg<1  Polygamy  prevails;  wives  are  bought  and  loaned  in 
exchange  for  debts;  child  marriage  is  common  in  some 
sections. 


>fr|  The  country  is  not  thickly  populated.  Slave  and 


rubber  raids ,  superstitious  practices  and  disease  have 
taken  a  heavy  toll. 

[g<1  The  religion  is  animism.  The  Congo  native  lives 
in  constant  fear  of  the  spirit  world  which  he  believes  to 
surround  him. 


9 


PART  II 


TIME  EXPOSURE 


Dancing  in  Honor  of  the  Dead 

II.  Time  Exposure 

The  central  section  of  Africa  where  Baptist  work  is 
located  is  said  to  be  the  only  real  Africa  left  today,  as  we 
picture  that  country, — jungles,  wild  animals,  intense  heat 
and  natives  living  in  groups,  unhampered  by  the  laws  and 
exactions  of  civilization.  Elsewhere  on  the  continent, 
large  cities  and  manufacturing  centers  have  sprung  up, 
built  and  populated  by  white  men  who  have  carried  to  the 
natives  all  the  vices  and  too  often  none  of  the  virtues  of 
civilization.  But  in  the  Congo  valley  the  natives  are  free 
to  live  as  they  will  and  always  have,  simply  because  the 
white  man  cannot  exist  in  that  climate.  The  Congo  is  not 
a  white  man’s  country  and,  although  wealthy  in  resources, 
it  does  not  permanently  attract  large  numbers  of  outsiders. 
A  few  government  officials  and  the  missionaries  are  the 
only  white  people  who  attempt  to  remain  long  in  the  dis- 


10 


TIME  EXPOSURE 


PART  II 


trict.  The  missionaries  keep  at  their  work  by  means  of 
frequent  furloughs  and  constant  medical  care,  and  the 
government  officials  spend  only  short  terms  there  as  a  rule. 
The  wealth  of  the  region  is  due  to  the  fact  that  it  lies  al¬ 
most  wholly  in  the  geographical  basin  of  the  Congo  river, 
a  magnificent  water¬ 
way.  Three  thousand 
miles  long  in  itself  and 
with  170  tributaries, 
it  supplies  6000  miles 
of  navigable  water 
and  has  a  drainage 
area  of  1,425,000 
square  miles.  At  its 
mouth,  eight  mile  s 
wide,  it  discharges  a 
volume  of  water  equal 
to  a  million  tons  a 
second.  While  the 
upper  portions  broad¬ 
en  into  a  stately 
stream  fifteen  or 
twenty  miles  wide, 
through  the  interior 
plateau  i  t  s  smooth 
How  is  interrupted  by  200  miles  of  cataracts  and  rapids 
which  make  navigation  impossible.  Beyond  this  turbulent 
stretch  the  water  is  again  navigable  to  the  sea. 

The  territory  has  public  transport  service  on  the  river, 
mail  routes  and  a  railway  extending  along  the  cataract 
region,  to  connect  the  navigable  portions  of  the  river. 
There  are  no  cities,  as  we  use  the  term,  but  many  trading 
posts  and  mission  stations.  Constant  fear  of  invasion  in 
past  years  gave  the  native  little  inducement  for  industry 
and  even  now  he  is  content  to  cultivate  small  portions  of 
land  and  export  meagre  supplies.  Collecting  rubber  and 


11 


PART  II 


TIME  EXPOSURE 


ivory  is  the  chief  industry  and  seventy-five  per  cent  of  the 
produce  goes  to  Belgium. 

The  natives  are  short  in  stature,  stocky  and  well  built. 
They  are  a  reddish  black  and  wear  little  clothing,  adorning 
themselves  chiefly  with  paint,  tattooing,  heavy  brass 
anklets  and  collars,  and  elaborate  coiffures.  Both  men 
and  women  affect  these  vanities.  The  men  hunt  and  fish 
by  day,  dance  and  drink  by  night ;  the  women  tend  the 
small  gardens  lying  at  a  distance  from  the  villages  or  fol¬ 
low  their  husbands  on  the  trail,  carrying  the  supplies  and 
babies.  Their  houses  are  built  of  bamboo  or  mud, 
thatched  with  grass  and  arranged  in  parallel  rows  or  cir¬ 
cular  groups  with  a  surrounding  palisade.  Pigs,  goats, 
fowls  and  insects  infest  the  towns.  Polygamy  prevails 
and  child  marriage  is 
common  in  some  dis¬ 
tricts,  although  the 
girl  wives  are  usually 
from  twelve  to  four¬ 
teen  years  old.  W  ives 
are  sold  or  exchanged 
as  settlements  of 
debts  and  the  prices 
are  often  so  high  that 
many  young  men  can¬ 
not  afford  to  marry. 

Where  Christian  in¬ 
fluences  have  been 
felt,  monogamy  is  the 
rule,  greater  cleanli¬ 
ness  is  seen,  more 
clothing  is  worn, 
drinking  and  resorting  to  fetishes  is  abolished  and  a  new 
attitude  toward  women  instilled. 

The  religion  of  the  Congo  is  hard  to  define.  Belief  in 
a  supreme  being  is  vague  but  universal,  while  belief  in 


12 


TIME  EXPOSURE 


PART  II 


malignant  spirits  that  lurk  everywhere  is  distressingly 
certain.  Fetishism  grasps  the  African  at  his  birth  and 
follows  him  through  life.  It  is  more  complex  than  any 
system  of  idolatry  or  than  the  spirit  worship  of  India. 
It  fills  the  universe  and  all  material  objects  with  spirits — 
usually  evil.  “When  lightning  strikes  a  tree,  it  kills  its 
spirit ;  when  a  weapon  fails,  its  spirit  has  been  stolen ; 
when  a  cooking  pot  goes  to  pieces,  its  spirit  has  died.”  The 
native  lives  with  a  great  spirit  world  around  him.  He  is 
beset  on  all  side  with  ill-tempered  spirits,  all  attempting 
to  thwart  him  and  do  him  injury.  Fetishes,  the  abodes 
of  protective  spirits,  are  considered  shields  from  harm 
and  sickness.  They  take  any  form  from  insects  to  gro¬ 
tesque  images  and  are  used  on  the  person  or  in  the  homes 
and  fields.  They  are  worn  on  the  arm  in  hunting,  to  as¬ 
sure  accurate  aim ;  on  bracelet  or  necklace,  to  ward  off 
sickness ;  on  various  parts  of  the  body  to  insure  success 
in  loving,  hating,  planting,  buying  and  all  sorts  of  enter¬ 
prises.  Those  on  the  fence  or  branches  of  trees  are  to 
keep  away  thieves ;  on  the  bow  of  the  canoe  to  insure  a 
successful  journey.  Those  made  in  human  form  often 
have  nails  driven  into  them  in  the  spot  where  it  is  desired 
to  injure  an  enemy.  Many  of  the  horrible  practises  of 
the  natives  are  due  to  fetishism.  Sometimes  a  whole  vil¬ 
lage  is  accused  of  some  crime,  and  all  must  drink  poison. 
In  this  way  whole  sections  of  the  country  have  been  de¬ 
populated.  Fetishism  is  also  accountable  for  the  many 
killed  to  accompany  the  spirit  of  a  dead  chief,  and  even 
for  some  of  the  cannibalism  practised. 

The  priest  of  fetishism,  if  such  he  may  be  called,  is  the 
witch  doctor.  He  is  sought  by  all  classes ;  he  makes  and 
sells  charms;  he  “smells  out”  criminals;  he  organizes  the 
trial  by  poison,  directs  the  insane  dances  and  conducts 
the  horrible  funeral  orgies  for  dead  chiefs.  Because  his 
victims  believe  implicitly  in  his  power,  they  suffer  agonies 
of  mind  as  well  as  body. 


13 


PART  III 


DEVELOPING 


An  Early  Baptist  Mission  Station 


*]  Baptist  missionaries  were  the  first  to  enter  the  Congo 


country  after  Stanley's  exploration  of  the  river  in  i8fiy . 
According  to  the  Encyclopedia  Britannica ,  “ none  of  the 
many  travelers  who  followed  Stanley  did  more  to  add 
to  the  exact  knowledge  of  the  main  river  and  its  tribu¬ 
taries  than  George  Grenfell  of  the  English  Baptist 
Missionary  Society." 


[*<]  In  i8y8  the  Livingstone  Inland  Mission  of  England 
sent  two  missionaries  to  the  Congo  to  preempt  the  land 
for  Christ.  Two  stations  were  opened  the  first  year , 
Cardiff  Station  and  Palabala ,  both  near  the  cataract 
region  of  the  river. 


f^l  By  1 88 1  five  stations  had  been  established  along  the 
Congo  River ,  thus  starting  the  chain  of  stations  that  it 
was  hoped  would  eveiitually  girdle  the  continent. 


14 


DEVELOPING 


PART  III 


A  Missionary  Bungalow 

[*]  In  i88p  the  Congo  Mission  was  transferred  to  the 
American  Baptist  Foreign  Mission  Society.  Six  of 
the  men  who  went  out  under  the  early  organization  are 
still  in  active  service. 


years  later  and  resulted  in  the  baptism  of  one  thousand 
converts. 


mission  from  the  first.  The  natives  had  no  written 
language  until  the  missionaries  converted  their  spoken 
sounds  into  Roman  characters. 

[*]  The  Belgian  Government  makes  ?io  attempts  edu¬ 
cationally  and  all  teaching  that  is  done  is  done  by  the 
missionaries. 


Educational  efforts  have  been  necessary  in  the 


*1  The  first  revival  occurred  at  Banza  Manteke  two 


15 


PART  III 


DEVELOPING 


III.  Developing 

The  beginning  of  missions  in  the  Congo  is  coincident 
with  the  discovery  of  the  great  river  and  the  commercial 
opening  of  the  land.  It  was  a  missionary  who  inspired  the 
exploration  of  the  river,  a  man  of  missionary  vision  who 
first  navigated  its  course,  and  missionaries  who  fol¬ 
lowed  fast  upon  the  heels  of  the  discoverer.  Almost  as 
soon  as  Stanley  reached  the  mouth  of  the  Congo,  several 
societies  were  ready  to  send  missionaries  to  the  newly 
opened  country. 

The  first  organization  to  begin  work  was  the  Living¬ 
stone  Inland  Mission  of  England  which  came  into  exist¬ 
ence  under  private  management.  Its  first  two  representa- 


16 


DEVELOPING 

PART  III 

Baptism  at  Banza  Manteke 


tives  sailed  for  the  Congo  in  1878  and  established  Cardiff 
station  near  the  cataract  region  and  Palabala,  on  the 
south  side  of  the  river.  One  of  our  present  missionaries, 
Rev.  Henry  Richards,  was  among  the  number  who  fol¬ 
lowed  the  next  year. 

The  dream  of  the  pioneers  was  to  establish  a  chain  of 
stations  that  would  eventually  girdle  the  vast  continent, 
and  they  set  to  their  task  with  such  determination  that  in 
spite  of  the  enormous  difficulties  of  transport  and  the 
costly  strain  of  hardships,  by  1881  they  had  opened  five 
stations.  In  1882  Stanley  Pool  was  reached,  though  not 
settled,  two  more  stations  were  opened  en  route  and  the 
first  two  converts  of  the  mission  were  baptized  in  London 
where  they  had  been  taken  to  assist  in  reducing  the  lan¬ 
guage  to  written  form.  In  the  following  year  a  site  for 
a  station  was  secured  at  Leopoldville,  Stanley  Pool,  and 
thus  a  chain  of  stations,  seven  in  number,  was  completed 
from  the  coast  to  the  head  of  Livingstone  Falls. 

In  1884  the  Congo  Mission  was  transferred  to  the 
American  Baptist  Foreign  Mission  Society  at  the  sugges- 


17 


PART  III 


DEVELOPING 


Ready  to  Work  for  Board  and  Clothing 

tion  of  its  managers  who  felt  that  the  work  had  become  too 
extensive  to  be  conducted  as  a  personal  mission.  At  the 
time  of  its  exchange,  seven  stations  had  been  occupied, 
covering  the  river  territory  500  miles  inland,  twenty-six 
missionaries  were  in  service,  the  Congo  language  had  been 
reduced  to  writing,  a  grammar  and  dictionary  published 
and  several  hopeful  converts  gained.  Five  of  the  men 
who  came  over  to  our  Society  at  that  time  are  continuing 
their  services  today,  having  successfully  endured  the  se¬ 
verity  of  climate  and  labor  for  over  thirty  years.  The  sta¬ 
tions  and  staff  in  1884  were : 

1 —  Mukimvika,  established  in  1882.  Rev.  C.  B.  Banks. 

2 —  Palabala,  opened  in  1878.  Rev.  Joseph  Clark  and  wife, 
Miss  J.  A.  Skakle. 

3 —  Banza  Manteke,  opened  in  1879.  Rev.  Henry  Richards, 
Miss  Mary  E.  Cole  and  Miss  Emily  Harris. 

4 —  Mukimbungu.  Occupied  by  Rev.  Charles  H.  Harvey. 

5 —  Lukunga,  1882.  Rev.  P.  Frederickson,  Mr.  N.  Westlind. 

6 —  Leopoldville,  opened  in  1883.  Mr.  John  McKittrick. 

7 —  Equator  Stations,  1884.  Mr.  K.  J.  Petterson,  Mr.  J.  B. 
Eddie. 

On  the  steamer  “Henry  Reed.”  Rev.  A.  Billington,  Rev. 
C.  B.  Glenesk. 


18 


DEVELOPING 


PART  III 


To  open  a  station  at  Stanley  Falls.  A.  Sims,  M.D.,  and 
Rev.  Theodore  H.  Hoste. 

In  England.  Mr.  Stephen  J.  White  and  wife,  Mrs.  Henry 
Craven,  Miss  Martha  S.  Spearing. 

In  1886  the  remark¬ 
able  revival  at  Banza 
Manteke  known  as  the 
“Pentecost  on  the  Con¬ 
go”  took  place.  The 
first  convert  persistently 
preached  among  his  peo¬ 
ple  in  the  face  of  perse- 
cnt’on  and  taunting  and 
suddenly  the  Holy  Ghost 
seemed  to  fall  upon  the 
village  for  the  people 
came  in  groups  and  hun¬ 
dreds  until  1000  declared 
themselves  followers  of 
Christ  in  a  few  weeks. 

From  the  first  the  readi¬ 
ness  of  the  converts  to 
engage  in  Christian  serv¬ 
ice  was  a  marked  fea¬ 
ture.  They  became  eager 
to  learn  reading  and 
writing  and  soon  gath¬ 
ered  in  schools  to  pre¬ 
pare  to  preach  and  teach 
in  the  outlying  districts.  A  second  ingathering  occurred 
soon  at  Lukunga,  and  again  at  Kifwa,  but  these  successes 
were  attended  by  many  reverses,  persecution  of  the  Chris¬ 
tians  by  their  neighbors  and  severe  illness  among  the  mis¬ 
sionary  body.  Almost  every  station  opened  soon  showed 
a  foreign  grave.  But  there  was  never  a  note  of  discour¬ 
agement  or  inclination  to  abandon  the  work. 


Missionary  Children  and  Nurse 


19 


PART  IV  FINISHING  TOUCHES 


Church  Members  at  Tshumbiri 


Baptists  are  responsible  for  the  river  territory  from 
the  coast  800  miles  inland.  The  population  of  this 
tract  is  unestimated. 


*]  Ten  American  Baptist  stations  are  maintained  on 


the  south  bank  of  the  river  withyy  missionaries  in  charge. 

*]  Seven  of  this  number  are  physicians.  Until  this 
year  there  has  been  but  one  hospital.  Four  new  hospitals 
will  soon  be  completed. 


Before  1880  the  region  was  inhabited  by  cannibals 
and  savages.  Now  there  are  5000  church  members  in 
the  American  Baptist  society  and  about  the  same  num¬ 
ber  in  the  English  churches. 


20 


FINISHING  TOUCHES  PART  IV 


School  Children  at  Sona  Bata 


[*1  Primary  schools  have  been  opened  in  all  the  villages 
where  Christians  live;  there  are  besides  three  training 
schools  and  four  secondary  schools.  Industrial  train¬ 
ing  is  offered  in  connection  with  most  of  the  schools. 

|¥1  Seven  of  the  twenty-six  organized  churches  are 
self-supporting;  there  are  236  meeting  places  altogether. 

[%<]  Twenty-two  years  ago  in  Ikoko,  our  most  remote 
station ,  thirty  miles  south  of  the  equator,  almost  every 
man  was  a  cannibal.  Now  the  station  has  a  church 
of  500  members  and  a  flourishing  Sunday  school. 

[^1  The  largest  part  of  Belgian  Congo  is  still  untouched 
by  Christian  efforts.  More  men  and  more  stations  are 
greatly  needed. 


21 


PART  IV 


FINISHING  TOUCHES 


IV.  Finishing  Touches 


Mission  work  in  the  Congo  is  more  easy  now  than  it 
was  in  the  early  days  because,  under  the  present  govern¬ 
ment,  the  section  is  practically  free  from  the  intrusion  of 
the  white  man  for  purposes  of  personal  gain.  The  prob¬ 
lem  of  counteracting  the  harmful  influence  of  unscrupu¬ 
lous  traders  is  no  longer 
presented,  except  in  a 
few  localities,  and  the 
missionaries,  with  their 
evident  desire  to  aid, 
have  overcome  the  sus¬ 
picion  of  the  natives  and 
won  their  confidence  to 
a  large  degree.  The 
traditions  and  customs 
of  the  natives  are  kept 
intact,  rather  than  inter¬ 
fered  with,  and  their  pe¬ 
culiar  tendencies  encour¬ 
aged,  except  when  they 
make  for  harm.  Tribal 
life,  calling  forth  as  it 
does  the  innate  loyalty 
of  the  black  man,  is  fos¬ 
tered  and  family  affec¬ 
tion,  which  is  especially 
noticeable  between  moth¬ 
ers  and  sons,  is  recog¬ 
nized  and  used  as  a  basis 
for  a  more  comprehen¬ 
sive  love.  Only  harmful 
practices  such  as  polygamy,  child  marriage,  fetishism, 
superstitious  rites  and  the  easy  taking  of  human  life  are 
disapproved  and  abolished  as  quickly  as  possible. 


A  Bantu  Gentleman 


22 


FINISHING  TOUCHES 


PART  IV 


Baptists  are  practically  possessors  of  the  main  river 
territory.  The  English  Baptist  stations  stretch  along  the 
bank  of  the  river  from  the  port  city,  Matadi,  beyond  Stan¬ 
ley  Falls,  1000  miles  from  the  coast;  the  American  Bap¬ 
tists  extend  over  two-thirds  of  that  distance  as  far  as 
Ikoko.  Near  neighbors  are  the  Foreign  Christian  Mis¬ 
sionary  Society  whose  main  station  is  Bolenge  and  the 
Southern  Pres¬ 
byterians  a  n  d 
Southern  Meth¬ 
odists  of  the  U. 

S.  to  the  south 
on  the  Kassai 
River. 

Our  Society 
maintains  ten 
stations  in  all,  at 
Palabala,  Banza 
Manteke,  Mata¬ 
di,  L  u  k  u  n  g  a, 

Mukimvika,  So- 
na  Bata,  Tshum- 
biri,  N  t  o  n  d  o 
(Ikoko),  Ivimp- 
ese,  and  Vanga,  named  in  the  order  of  their  establish¬ 
ment.  Forty-three  missionaries  are  in  charge. 

Palabala,  close  to  the  mouth  of  the  river,  is  the  oldest 
station,  founded  in  1878.  Many  of  the  early  missionaries 
worked  here  before  moving  on  to  open  new  stations.  They 
have  always  been  confronted  with  problems  peculiar  to 
Portuguese  towns  near  the  coast  where  the  importation 
of  rum  demoralizes  the  population.  In  spite  of  this  and 
of  strong  opposition  from  the  Roman  Catholics,  the 
church  now  numbers  532  members. 

Banza  Manteke  is  the  next  station  along  the  river  bank 
above  Palabala  and  is  reached  by  three  and  a  half  hours’ 


23 


Students’  Quarters,  Banza  Manteke 

of  travel  by  train  and  eight  by  caravan.  This  is  the  scene 
of  the  first  great  revival  on  the  Congo  which  took  place 
under  Rev.  Henry  Richards  in  1886.  The  church  has 
grown  consistently  since  the  beginning  and  now  has  a 
membership  above  1600.  Sixty-two  primary  schools  are 
maintained  in  the  villages  near-by,  which  give  training  to 
3000  boys  and  girls. 

The  next  in  line  is  Lukunga,  where  the  second  revival 
took  place  soon  after  the  ingathering  at  Banza  Manteke. 
Over  700  Christians  were  baptized  at  this  time  and  a  large 
school  was  started,  but  a  scourge  of  the  dreaded  sleeping 
sickness  swept  over  the  district  soon  after  and  so  depleted 
the  community  that  the  church  has  never  since  attained 
its  early  numerical  strength.  It  now  enrols  252  members. 
A  boarding  school,  housing  some  ninety  boys  and  girls,  is 
located  here. 

Mukimvika  is  the  only  station  lying  outside  Belgian 
territory.  It  is  on  the  south  bank  of  the  mouth  of  the 


24 


FINISHING  TOUCHES  PART  IV 


river  in  Portuguese  boundaries.  For  this  reason  school 
work  must  be  done  in  the  Portuguese  language,  rather 
than  in  the  native  tongue.  It  is  an  unusually  healthful 
station  but  difficult  for  mission  work  because  of  the  prev¬ 
alence  of  vice.  Early  traders  cultivated  in  the  natives 
an  appetite  for  gin  and  rum  which  has  led  to  the  demoral¬ 
ization  of  whole  villages.  Dr.  F.  P.  Lynch  has  been  alone 
at  this  place  for  some  years  and  carries  on  an  extensive 
medical  practice. 

Matadi  is  the  port  city  of  the  river  country,  at  the  head 
of  ocean  navigation,  though  110  miles  from  the  mouth  of 
the  river.  It  also  marks  the  head  of  the  Congo  railroad 
which  extends  around  the  cataract  region.  All  our  mis¬ 
sionaries  land  here  before  starting  for  their  various  sta¬ 
tions.  Dr.  Sims,  in  charge,  has  been  at  Matadi  only  16 
years  but  for  more  than  thirty  years  has  been  intimately 
connected  with  the  development  of  this  town.  His  reputa¬ 
tion  as  a  physician  is  unsurpassed  in  the  Congo  country 
and  his  services  are  in  constant  demand.  The  hundreds 
of  young  men  and  boys  who  are  attracted  to  Matadi  for 
employment  present  a  serious  problem. 


Matadi,  Looking  Down  the  Congo 


25 


PART  IV 


FINISHING  TOUCHES 


Sona  Bata  is  the  successor  of  the  earlier  station  at 
Kifwa.  While  work  was  being  conducted  on  the  former 

site,  seven  hundred 
were  brought  into 
the  church  in  two 
years.  Because  of 
the  unhealthfulness 
of  the  location  it 
was  thought  best  to 
move  the  station  to 
Sona  Bata,  sixteen 
miles  distant.  There 
are  fourteen  organ¬ 
ized  churches  and 
forty  primary 
schools  in  the  dis¬ 
trict,  and  a  training 
school  for  men  and 
boarding  school  for 
boys  and  girls  in  the 
village.  Good  clay 
for  brick-making  is 
obtainable  at  Sona 
Bata  and  the  station 
presents  a  substan¬ 
tial  appearance  with 
s  i  x  brick  mission 

buildings  all  erected  by  the  students. 

Tshumbiri  is  170  miles  above  Stanley  Pool,  half  way 
between  the  coast  and  our  farthest  station,  Ikoko.  The 
missionaries  here  do  a  great  deal  of  itinerating  in  the  sur¬ 
rounding  districts  and  supervise  sixteen  schools.  The 
wife  of  the  missionary  conducts  the  station  school  work. 

Ikoko  is  800  miles  from  the  coast  and  just  south  of  the 
equator.  It  was  opened  by  Rev.  Joseph  Clark  in  1894 
before  any  route  had  been  mapped  out  or  any  guides  were 


An  Ikoko  Chief 

A  most  active  enemy  and  cruel  man.  (The 
hat  indicates  the  highest  rank) 


26 


FINISHING  TOUCHES  PART  IV 


A  Graduating  Class  at  Kimpese 

available.  It  was  in  the  midst  of  a  cannibal  region  and 
the  people  had  been  so  mistreated  by  Free  State  rubber 
gatherers  that  they  feared  all  white  men.  The  early  mis¬ 
sionaries  therefore  met  many  hardships  but  gradually 
won  the  trust  of  the  natives.  The  church  now  averages 
500  members  and  the  Sunday  school  200.  Extensive  medi¬ 
cal  work  is  conducted  here  and  valuable  work  among  the 
women  and  girls.  Last  year  the  station  buildings  were 
moved  to  Ntondo,  a  site  across  the  lake,  more  healthful 
and  more  accessible. 

Kimpese  is  on  the  railroad  from  Matadi.  It  is  the  seat 
of  the  Congo  Evangelical  Training  Institution  in  which 
English  and  American  Baptists  unite.  It  is  a  unique, 
Christian  community  concentrating  on  the  intensive  de¬ 
velopment  of  native  leaders  for  the  mission. 

Vanga,  the  newest  station,  was  opened  by  Dr.  W.  H. 
Leslie  in  1913.  It  lies  in  a  region  populated  by  cannibals, 


27 


PART  IV 


FINISHING  TOUCHES 


Mahogany  Chapel  Built  by  Missionary 
and  Native  Helpers 

yet  our  missionaries  have  traveled  freely  in  the  district 
and  succeeded  in  gathering  over  two  hundred  boys  into  its 
station  school. 

Unlike  some  of  the  countries  where  language  and  tribal 
differences  make  separate  programs  of  work  necessary, 
one  method  of  endeavor  can  be  followed  throughout  the 
Congo  mission.  Conditions  are  very  much  the  same  in 
all  districts ;  the  dialects  in  the  lower  Congo  are  so  nearly 
alike  as  to  make  intercommunication  possible  and  mis¬ 
sionaries  there  can  travel  far  from  their  own  stations  and 
meet  familiar  customs  and  conditions.  But  numerous 
forms  of  service  are  necessary — industrial,  social,  educa¬ 
tional,  and  medical,  as  well  as  evangelistic,  and  the  Congo 
missionary  must  be  skilled  in  all  trades. 

The  results  they  have  effected  are  gratifying.  There 
are  today  on  the  field  twenty-two  organized  churches,  236 
places  of  regular  worship  and  4664  church  members.  Six 
hundred  and  seventy-eight  of  these  were  added  to  the 


28 


FINISHING  TOUCHES 


PART  IV 


membership  last  year.  In  ninety-eight  Sunday  schools 
over  2000  members  study  the  Bible.  In  the  theological 
training  school  at  Kimpese  and  two  schools  at  Tshumbiri 
and  Banza  Manteke,  forty-nine  men  and  twenty  women 
are  enrolled  and  some  8000  children  are  under  instruction 
in  the  lower  grade  schools. 


EVANGELISM 


The  first  need  of  the  Congo  native  is  for  a  religion  of 
love  that  will  release  him  from  the  bondage  of  the  witch 


doctor,  fetishism  and 
his  fearful  spirit 
world.  The  first 
thing  which  the  mis¬ 
sionary  gives  to  him 
is  a  knowledge  of 
this  religion  of 
love,  —  Christianity. 

Converts,  when  they 
are  sincere,  are  re¬ 
markably  loyal  and 
true  Christians  and 
they  often  come  in 
large  numbers  to  an 
acceptance  of  Chris¬ 
tianity.  But  only 
after  careful  examination  and  a  period  of  testing  are  they 
allowed  to  join  the  church.  By  nature  lovable  and  of 
happy  dispositions,  they  find  an  outlet  for  their  better 
qualities  in  Christian  living  and  learning.  The  giving  of 
money  still  comes  hard  with  them  but  they  are  improving 
in  this  grace  constantly  and  last  year  contributed  $1661 
for  the  maintenance  of  the  native  church.  Seven  of  the 
churches  are  now  self-supporting. 


Dr.  Catharine  L.  Mabie  Dispensing 
Medicine  on  a  Tour 


29 


PART  IV  FINISHING  TOUCHES 


A  Reading  Class 


Touring  is  the  method  by  which  the  missionaries  reach 
a  large  number  of  natives.  Loading  a  long  line  of 
men  with  tents,  clothing,  food  and  goods  for  barter,  the 
missionary  starts  out,  traveling  by  foot  or  in  a  hammock 
through  the  tall  grasses  and  swamps  of  the  jungle,  visit¬ 
ing  village  after  village.  Sometimes  he  is  received  with 
suspicion  or  indifference ;  more  often  with  interest  and 
curiosity  by  the  tribal  chiefs.  He  tents  among  the  huts, 
always  a  curiosity  to  inquisitive  onlookers,  holds  services 
morning  and  evening  and  often  works  a  transformation  in 
the  hearts  of  the  people  in  the  short  time  that  he  can  stay 
before  moving  on  to  the  next  village.  Converts  are  won 
too,  through  the  influence  of  the  school  boys  and  girls 
who  return  to  their  native  towns  after  schooling.  With 
such  an  enormous  tract  to  cover,  work  can  only  be  ac¬ 
complished,  in  some  sections,  by  such  temporary  contact 
of  missionary  and  people  as  this. 


30 


FINISHING  TOUCHES  PART  IV 


EDUCATION 

Educational  work  is  of  vast  importance  in  the  Congo 
mission,  since  the  government  makes  no  provision  what¬ 
ever  for  education.  Before  the  advent  of  the  missionary 
the  Congo  natives  had  no  written  language.  The  mis¬ 
sionaries  listened  intently  to  their  conversation,  wrote  the 
sounds  phonetically  in  Roman  characters  and  formulated 
grammars  and  dictionaries.  Then  they  taught  the  people 
to  read  and  write.  Bible  translations  and  school  books 
were  soon  prepared  and  today  printing  presses  at  vari¬ 
ous  stations  are  publishing  many  hooks  in  the  Congo  dia¬ 
lect.  The  language  is  peculiarly  complicated  and  euphoni¬ 
ous  and  seems  far  in  advance  of  the  people  who  use  it. 

The  missionaries  have  established  schools  of  primary 
grade  in  practically  every  village  where  any  Christians 
live.  In  addition  to  these,  there  are  higher  grade  schools 
at  Sona  Bata,  Banza  Manteke,  and  Lukunga,  two  of 


Buildings  Used  for  Hospital 

(Over  13,000  cases  treated  here  in  one  year) 

31 


PART  IV 


FINISHING  TOUCHES 


Industrial  Graduates 

(Houses,  furniture  and  clothes  made  by  them) 

which  are  hoarding  schools,  where  the  brightest  boys  and 
girls  from  the  outstation  schools  receive  several  additional 
years  of  training.  The  climax  of  the  mission  educational 
system  is  the  Congo  Evangelical  Training  Institution  at 
Kimpese,  in  which  the  English  and  American  Baptists  co¬ 
operate.  The  purpose  of  the  school  is  to  furnish  a  good 
Biblical  and  practical  training  to  men  and  women  who 
shall  return  to  their  villages  and  become  preachers,  teach¬ 
ers  and  leaders  among  their  own  people.  The  men  are 
taught,  besides  hook  subjects,  carpentry,  gardening  and 
brick-making.  They  are  required  to  take  their  families 
with  them  to  the  school,  where  homes  are  provided,  so  that 
the  wives  may  he  prepared  to  help  in  the  work  and  to  teach 
the  women  of  the  villages.  The  children  of  the  students 
form  the  practice  school  where  normal  methods  are  taught. 
The  institution,  drawing  as  it  does  whole  families  from 


32 


FINISHING  TOUCHES 


PART  IV 


far-lying  districts,  and  sending  them  out  again  prepared 
to  build  comfortable  homes,  live  well,  teach,  nurse  and 
direct  work  of  all  kinds,  is  unique  and  will  intimately 
affect  the  living  conditions  of  a  vast  area  of  the  valley. 
The  attendance  averages  twenty-five  families  each  year. 

The  Congo  conference  has  recommended  the  opening 
of  grammar  grade  schools  at  Sona  Bata,  Banza  Manteke, 
Ntondo  and  Vanga. 


MEDICAL  WORK 

The  native  of  the  Congo  knows  practically  nothing 
about  physiology,  hygiene  or  anatomy.  He  attributes  all 
ills  to  evil  spirits  and  attempts  to  remedy  them  by  resort¬ 
ing  to  fetishes  or  the  witch  doctor's  concoctions  which 
consist  of  such  ingredients  as  mud,  insects  and  too  often 
poisonous  plants.  Such  treatments  as  blood-letting  and 
blowing  red  pepper  into  the  eyes  are  in  vogue  and  it  is 
little  wonder  that  under  these  suicidal  conditions  the  for¬ 
eign  doctor's  methods  and  results  are  looked  upon  as 
miraculous. 

The  Congo  mission  is  well  supplied  with  physicians  but 
wofully  lacking  in  equipment  for  their  work.  Dr.  Sims 
of  Matadi,  the  senior  physician,  who  came  to  the  Congo 
under  the  Livingstone  Inland  Mission,  has  a  large  practice 
among  the  missionaries  who  go  through  this  port  city  en 
route  to  or  from  their  stations.  Dr.  Lynch  of  Mukimvika 
is  the  only  doctor  with  a  building  worthy  the  name  of  hos¬ 
pital.  Dr.  Leslie,  an  intrepid  traveler,  has  explored  many 
a  waste  tract  with  his  surgical  kit  and  five  years  ago 
opened  the  newest  station  at  Vanga.  Dr.  Catharine  Mabie 
is  at  Kimpese,  giving  invaluable  instruction  in  physiology, 
hygiene  and  the  care  of  children  to  the  wives  of  the  stu¬ 
dents.  She  has  a  very  small  dispensary.  Dr.  Ostrom  at 
Ikoko  and  Dr.  King  at  Banza  Manteke  are  carefully  cov¬ 
ering  their  parts  of  the  field  and  training  assistants  in  the 
simpler  requirements  of  the  profession.  Four  hospital 


33 


PART  IV 


FINISHING  TOUCHES 


buildings  have  been  provided  for  this  year  and  are  to  be 
erected  as  soon  as  possible  at  Banza  Manteke,  Sona  Bata, 
Ntondo  (Ikoko)  and  Vanga.  A  small  maternity  and 
children’s  hospital  is  to  be  put  up  at  Kimpese  also  for 
training  purposes. 


INDUSTRIAL  TRAINING 

The  importance  of  industrial  training  is  becoming  more 
and  more  apparent.  If  the  aim  of  the  missionaries  is  to 
build  up  a  Christian  civilization  that  will  mean  a  trans¬ 
formation  of  environment  as  well  as  individual  life,  they 
must  effect  it  by  training  the  hands  as  well  as  the  head. 
In  most  of  the  stations  this  department  of  work  is  con¬ 
ducted  in  connection  with  the  schools.  Christians  are 
taught  brick-making,  carpentry,  sewing  and  the  various 
useful  arts.  Whereas  several  years  ago  the  mission  build¬ 
ings  had  to  be  made  abroad,  shipped  in  small  sections  to 
the  Congo  and  there  put  together  again,  now  they  are 
built  on  the  field  by  the  students.  All  the  mission  build¬ 
ings  at  Sona  Bata,  for  instance,  were  erected  by  students. 
Telegraphy  is  taught  in  some  places  and  the  boys  are  in 
great  demand  by  the  government  officials  who  have  dis¬ 
covered  that  mission  boys  are  more  reliable  and  trust¬ 
worthy  than  many  others. 

The  Congo  presents  unlimited  opportunities  for  work 
which  have  so  far  only  partially  been  grasped.  The  won¬ 
der  is  that  so  much  has  been  accomplished  with  the  small 
staff  and  meagre  equipment.  Thirty-nine  years  have 
passed  since  the  first  missionaries  went  to  the  Congo  and 
the  triumphs  of  the  gospel  have  been  marvelous.  There  is 
need  for  many  more  stations,  however,  and  a  much  larger 
force  before  the  opportunities  that  are  open  can  really  be 
touched.  The  Congo  is  still  in  the  making ;  the  next  twen¬ 
ty-five  years  will  determine  what  Central  Africa  is  to  be. 


34 


STATIONS 


THE  TEN  STATIONS 

Banza  Manteke  (Man-te'-ka)  opened  1879;  between  Congo  River 
and  railroad,  1700  miles  above  sea  level;  only  five  degrees  below 
equator  but  no  hotter  than  other  stations;  scene  of  the  great  revival 
of  1886;  preparatory  school,  primary  schools  and  extensive  medical 
work;  hospital  about  to  be  built. 

Kimpese  (Kim-pe-si)  opened  1908;  on  the  railroad  about  100  miles 
from  Matadi;  seat  of  the  Congo  Evangelical  Training  Institution, 
established  jointly  by  the  American  and  English  Baptists  in  1908 
for  purpose  of  training  native  leaders  and  their  families;  twenty-four 
families  enrolled;  medical  care  and  training  given,  especially  to  the 
wives  of  students. 

Lukunga  (Lu-koong'-ga)  opened  1882;  reached  by  three  days’ 
travel  by  caravan  from  Kimpese;  when  caravan  road  was  only  high¬ 
way  between  upper  and  lower  river  this  was  a  center  of  activity, 
now  out  of  the  way;  good  boarding  school  for  boys  and  girls,  ninety 
enrolled. 

Matadi  (Ma-ta'-di)  opened  1880;  our  base  station  and  the  port 
city  of  the  Congo  region,  110  miles  from  ocean;  starting  point  of 
railroad;  all  missionaries  disembark  here  before  going  on  to  stations 
inland;  commodious  church  building  and  book-room;  large  medical 
practice  among  Europeans  and  natives. 

Mukimvika  (Mu-kim-ve'-ka)  opened  1882;  on  southern  bank  of 
mouth  of  river,  in  Portuguese  territory;  an  especially  healthful  site; 
school  work  done  in  Portuguese  language;  large  medical  work — only 
real  hospital  building  of  the  mission  at  this  station. 

Ntondo  (Ntun'-do)  opened  1894;  new  site  of  the  station  Ikoko, 
sixteen  miles  south  on  the  eastern  coast  of  Lake  Ntomba;  fifty  evange¬ 
list-teachers  employed  in  nearby  villages;  school  of  secondary  grade 
at  station,  mission  press,  small  dispensary,  extensive  work  among 
women  and  girls  and  large  medical  practice;  hospital  about  to  be 
built. 

Palabala  (Pa-la-ba'-la)  opened  1878;  first  station  of  American 
Baptists  in  the  Congo;  110  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  river;  close  to 
the  border  of  Portuguese  Africa;  without  a  resident  missionary  at 
present. 

Sona  Bata  (Sona  Bat 'a)  opened  1890;  near  Stanley  Pool  and  a 
stone’s  throw  from  the  railroad;  an  extensive  field;  fourteen  organized 
churches  in  the  district,  seven  of  them  self-supporting;  training  school 


35 


MISSIONARIES 


for  men  preparatory  to  Kimpese;  station  boarding  school;  hospital 
about  to  be  built. 

Tshumbiri  (Chum-be'-ri)  opened  1890;  half  way  between  the 
coast  and  our  most  remote  station;  170  miles  above  Stanley  Pool; 
primary  school  and  much  itinerating  done  in  district. 

Vanga  (Van-ga)  opened  1913;  our  newest  station;  on  the  Kwilu 
River,  a  tributary  of  the  Congo;  in  a  cannibal  region;  two  hundred 
boys  attend  the  boarding  school;  hospital  soon  to  be  built. 


MISSIONARIES  TO  THE  CONGO 

Abbreviations:  m.,  married;  *  deceased  while  in  service; 
f  retired  from  the  mission  and  still  living;  J  retired  from  the 
mission  and  since  deceased;  **  under  appointment. 

fAntisdel,  Rev.  Clarence  Baumes . 1892 

fAntisdel,  Mrs.  Gertie  Vander  Kalk . 1896 

Bain,  Rev.  Alexander  Lang . 1893 

*Bain,  Mrs.  Lucy  Ketmann . 1893 

Bain,  Mrs.  Hilda  Johnson . 1895 

fBiggs,  Weslie  M .  .  1891 

fBiggs,  Mrs.  W.  M .  .  1895 

*Billington,  Rev.  A .  1881 

*Billington,  Mrs.  Jessie  Skakle .  1884 

Billington,  Mrs.  Edith  Brown . 

fBoone,  Rev.  Clinton  C.,  M.D.  1901 

*Boone,  Mrs.  Eva  Roberts  .  1901 

*Broholm,  Rev.  J.  E .  .  1888 

fBurns,  John  Spurgeon . 1893 

fCadman,  Rev.  Isaac .  .  1891 

fCamp,  J.  H . 1887 

^Christopher,  Rev.  Arthur . 1896 

f  Christopher,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Viger  ...  .  1897 

fClaflin,  Mrs.  Bella  Grover . 1891 

Clark,  Rev.  Joseph . 1880 

Clark,  Mrs.  Eliza  A.  Milne . 1884 

fCole,  Frances  A . 1892 

fDawes,  James  Christopher . 1893 

fEddie,  Rev.  James  B . 1884 

f  Edmunds,  Jennie  S . 1895 

fFaulkner,  Lina  C.  (m.  Mr.  Hale,  Canada)  ....  1887 


36 


MISSIONARIES 


*Finch,  James  Alton . 1893 

^Fleming,  Lulu  C.,  M.D.  1887 

^France,  J.  J . 1887 

Fredrickson,  Rev.  Peter  ...  1881 

Fredrickson,  Mrs.  Matilda  Reuter  1887 

^Gardner,  Bessie  E .  1892 

Geil,  Rev.  John  E . 1908 

Geil,  Mrs.  Eva  Rockwood . 1908 

tGerrish,  F.  M . 1887 

Gilbert,  Rev.  Flarvey  Ferris . 1913 

Gilbert,  Mrs.  Mabel  Moon . 1913 

'■’‘Gleichmann,  Rev.  Fritz  C . 1890 

fGleichmann,  Mrs.  Fritz  C . 

*Glenesk,  Rev.  Charles  B . 1884 

fGlenesk,  Mrs.  C.  B . 1888 

JGordon,  Nora  A.  (m.  Rev.  S.  C.  Gordon)  1889 

Gotaas,  Rev.  Johannes  Olsen . 1905 

Gotaas,  Airs.  Esther  Olsen . 1911 

**Grage,  Minnie  E . 1917 

f Hall,  Rev.  William  A . 1889 

fHall,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Garland . 1894 

^Hamilton,  Lenore  (m.  James  Todd)  1887 

*Harris,  Emily  (m.  Charles  H.  Harvey) . 1884 

*Hartsock,  Rev.  Charles  G . 1889 

fHartsock,  Mrs.  Rose  Roy . 1891 

fHartsock,  Rev.  Samuel  W . 1908 

fRev.  Hartsock,  Mrs.  Bessie  Izdell . 

Harvey,  Rev.  Charles  H . 1884 

Harvey,  Mrs.  Georgina  Milne . 1895 

Hill,  Clara  Rebecca  (m.  W.  H.  Leslie,  M.D.)  .  .  .  1895 

Hill,  Thomas . 1892 

Hill,  Mrs.  Clara  Gosline . 1896 

fHoste,  Rev.  Theodore  H . 1884 

fHoward,  Clara  Ann . 1890 

fHyde,  Rev.  John  Chester  (m.  Mrs.  C.  G.  Hartsock)  .  1893 

fjackson,  Rev.  George  Henry,  M.D . 1893 

fjackson,  Stephen  E . 1893 

f  Johansson,  Ebonne  (m.  Rev.  E.  V.  Sjoblom)  .  .  .  1900 

*Jones,  Rev.  Richard  D . 1890 

Joseph,  Rev.  T.  J . 1884 

Joseph,  Mrs.  T.  J .  , 

King,  Judson  C.,  M.D . 1913 

King,  Mrs.  Cora  Wolff . 1913 

Kirby,  Herbert  W.,  M.D.,  D.D.  (tr.  to  Assam)  .  .  1902 

fLeger,  Theodore  A . 1891 


37 


MISSIONARIES 


Leger,  Mrs.  T.  A . 1892 

fLeidy,  Rachel  (never  reached  field) . 1890 

Leslie,  W.  H.,  M.D.  (m.  Clara  Hill) . 1893 

Liley,  A.  V . 1884 

Lynch,  Franklin  P.,  M.D . 1893 

*  Lynch,  Mrs.  F.  P . 1883 

fLewis,  J.  M . 1887 

Mabie,  Catharine  L.,  M.D . 1898 

McDiarmid,  Rev.  Peter  A . 1906 

McDiarmid,  Mrs.  Alzora  Holmes . 1911 

fMcKittrick,  Rev.  John . 1884 

fMarkham,  Charles . 1890 

Markham,  Mrs.  C . 1890 

Marsh,  Rev.  A.  V . 1913 

•  Marsh,  Mrs.  Mabel  Church . 1915 

Metzger,  Rev.  Paul  C . 1905 

Metzger,  Mrs.  Kathryn  Arlin . 1905 

*Milne,  Robert  Reid . 1894 

JMilne,  Mrs.  Mary  Mitchell . 1899 

Milne,  Georgina  (m.  Rev.  C.  H.  Harvey) . 1894 

Moody,  Rev.  Thomas . 1890 

Moody,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Wilkie . 1891 

Moon,  Rev.  S.  E . 1904 

Moon,  Mrs.  Sarah  Jensen . 1904 

fMorse,  Rev.  Lyman  H . 1893 

fMurphy,  J.  B.  (m.  Fannie  Tiptaft) . 1887 

fMurphy,  Mrs . 1890 

fNauss,  Ralph  W.,  M.D . 1912 

*Nelson,  Rev.  Christian . 1892 

*Nelson,  Mrs.  S.  Finwall . 1892 

**Oden,  Edna . 1917 

Ostrom,  Hjalmar,  M.D . 1912 

Ostrom,  Mrs.  Agnes  Brodd . 1912 

fParsons,  Antony,  M.D . 1912 

fParsons,  Mrs.  Laura  Shavland . 1912 

fPatterson,  K.  J . 1884 

fPorter,  Muriel . 1911 

Richards,  Rev.  Henry . 1879 

^Richards,  Mrs.  Mary . 1879 

Richards,  Mrs.  Eliza  Cole . 1884 

fRobert,  Rev.  Herbert . 1885 

fRaine,  Rev.  Chas.  Frederick . 1889 

fRaine,  Mrs.  Lydia  Gurney . 1893 

fRav,  Rev.  Volna  Anderson . 1907 

Ray,  Mrs.  Bernice  McCall . 1907 


38 


MISSIONARIES 


Rodgers,  Walter  E . 1910 

Rodgers,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Palmer . 1914 

fRicketts,  Rev.  R.  E . 1887 

fRicketts,  Mrs.  J.  E .  ...  1890 

fRoval,  Bernice . 1889 

tScholes,  T.  E.  S.,  M.D . 1886 

Sims,  Aaron,  M.D.,  D.P.H . 1882 

*Skakle,  Jessie  A.  (m.  Rev.  A.  Billington) . 1884 

*Sjoblom,  Rev.  E.  V.  (m.  Ebonne  Johansson)  .  .  .  1893 

tSmall,  Rev.  Edwin,  M.D . 1887 

*Spearing,  Martha  S . 1884 

fStahlbrand,  Rev.  Gustaf  W . 1906 

Suman,  Margaret  (tr.  to  Philippines) . 1911 

fTiptaft,  Fanny  (m.  J.  B.  Murphy) . 1890 

fWelles,  Rev.  Ernest  Tallman . 1897 

fWelles,  Mrs.  Bertha  Peters . 1901 

fWelles,  Gertrude  May . 1897 

Westlind,  N . 1884 

*White,  Rev.  Steven  J . 1884 

fWhite,  Mrs.  Marion . 1884 

fWhitman,  Rev.  Clarence  Leroy . 1903 

Wood,  Rev.  Leland  Foster . 1911 

Wood,  Mrs.  Georgia  Heaton . 1911 

*Wright,  Rev.  Carl  Carson . 1902 

fYoung,  Andrew  (of  Congo  Balolo  Mission)  ....  1896 


INDEX 


Index 

Part  I.  General  Survey 

Location  .  4 

Topography  .  4 

The  Congo  River  .  5 

The  People .  6 

History  of  the  Congo .  7 

Part  II.  The  Land  and  the  People 

Condition  of  the  Country .  10 

Physical  Features .  11 

Habits  of  the  Natives  .  12 

Religion  .  13 

Part  III.  Beginnings  of  Missions 

First  Missionaries  .  16 

First  Stations .  17 

Change  of  Organization  .  18 

Pentecost  on  the  Congo .  19 

Part  IV.  Present  Work 

The  Aim  .  22 

Baptist  Stations  .  23 

Evangelism  .  29 

Education  .  31 

Aledical  Work .  33 

Industrial  Training  .  34 

Summary  .  34 

List  of  Stations  .  35 

List  of  Missionaries  .  36 


\ 


40 


pOR  additional  literature  or  other 
information  regarding  the  work 
of  the  American  Baptist  Foreign 
Mission  Society,  write  to  any  of 
the  following: 

The  District  Secretary  of  your 
district. 

Department  of  Missionary  Educa¬ 
tion,  23  East  26th  Street,  New 
York  City. 

Literature  Department,  Box  41, 
Boston,  Mass. 


Price  of  this  book  10  cents 


S4-5M- 10-1 5-19 17 


